''Salome, Where She Danced'' is a 1945 American

Technicolor Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

directed by

Charles Lamont Charles Lamont (May 5, 1895 – September 11, 1993) was a prolific filmmaker, directing over 200 titles and producing and writing many others. He directed several Abbott and Costello comedies and many Ma and Pa Kettle films. Biography A Calif ...

and starring Yvonne De Carlo, Rod Cameron and

Walter Slezak Walter Slezak (; 3 May 1902 – 21 April 1983) was an Austrian-born film and stage actor active between 1922 and 1976. He mainly appeared in German films before migrating to the United States in 1930 and performing in numerous Hollywood producti ...

. The film follows the adventures of a dancer in nineteenth-century Europe and the United States. It is loosely based on the story of

Lola Montez Eliza Rosanna Gilbert, Countess of Landsfeld (17 February 1821 – 17 January 1861), better known by the stage name Lola Montez (), was an Irish dancer and actress who became famous as a Spanish dancer, courtesan, and mistress of King Ludwig ...

. Choreography by

Lester Horton Lester Iradell Horton (23 January 1906 – 2 November 1953) was an American dancer, choreographer, and teacher. Early years and education Lester Iradell Horton was born in Indianapolis, Indiana on 23 January 1906. His parents were Iradell and Poll ...

Plot

The film opens in

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

in 1865, shortly after

General Lee Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War, towards the end of which he was appointed the overall commander of the Confederate States Army. He led the Army of North ...

's surrender at Battle of Appomattox Court House. A war correspondent Jim Steed exchanges comments with Count Von Bohlen, an arrogant Prussian army officer serving as a military attaché during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

. A year later Steed is in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

shortly before the outbreak of the Austro-Prussian War of 1866. There he encounters a famous dancer, Anna Marie, whom he persuades to spy for him on Von Bohlen, now a member of the Prussian General staff, who has become infatuated with her. However the secret plans which they manage to pass on to the Austrians are unable to prevent the decisive Prussian victory. Escaping Vienna just ahead of the conquering Prussian army, they journey to the United States where they plan to organize a successful career for her in show business. Stopping in a small western town to stage a show, they choose the exotic '' Salome'' for her debut, but it is robbed at gunpoint by local desparados. After Salome is able to recover their money from the bandits, the town elders decide by popular acclaim to rename the settlement "Salome Where She Danced". The bandit leader, Cleve Blunt, an ex-

Confederate Confederacy or confederate may refer to: States or communities * Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities * Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...

soldier develops a romantic interest in Anna Marie and accompanies her on the journey westward. After moving on to San Francisco, they persuade a wealthy Russian Colonel to back her career. Just as she is set to make a success, the arrival of Count Von Bohlen seeking revenge leads to a final confrontation.

Cast

* Yvonne De Carlo as Anna Marie * Rod Cameron as Jim Steed * David Bruce as Cleve Blunt *

as Col. Ivan Dimitrioff *

Albert Dekker Thomas Albert Ecke Van Dekker (December 20, 1905 – May 5, 1968) was an American character actor and politician best known for his roles in ''Dr. Cyclops'', ''The Killers (1946 film), The Killers'' (1946), ''Kiss Me Deadly'', and ''The Wild Bun ...

as Count Erik Von Bohlen *

Marjorie Rambeau Marjorie Burnet Rambeau (July 15, 1889 – July 6, 1970) was an American film and stage actress. She began her stage career at age 12, and appeared in several silent films before debuting in her first sound film, '' Her Man'' (1930). She was t ...

as Madam Europe * J. Edward Bromberg as Prof. Max * Abner Biberman as Dr. Ling *

John Litel John Beach Litel (December 30, 1892 – February 3, 1972) was an American film and television actor. Early life Litel was born in Albany, Wisconsin. During World War I, he enlisted in the French Army and was twice decorated for bravery. Ba ...

as General Robert E. Lee *

Kurt Katch Kurt Katch (born Isser Kac; January 28, 1893 – August 14, 1958) was a Polish film and television actor. He appeared in ''Quiet Please, Murder'', ''The Purple V'', ''The Mask of Dimitrios'', ''Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves'', among many o ...

as Count Von Bismarck * Richard Alexander as Shotgun (uncredited) *

Larry Steers Lawrence Wells Steers (February 14, 1888 – February 15, 1951) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 550 films between 1917 and 1951. He was born in Indiana, and died in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. Partial filmography * ...

as Party Guest (uncredited)

Production

The project had originally been connected to

John Ford John Martin Feeney (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), known professionally as John Ford, was an American film director and naval officer. He is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. He ...

in 1941, but it was acquired by the producer

Walter Wanger Walter Wanger (born Walter Feuchtwanger; July 11, 1894 – November 18, 1968) was an American film producer active from the 1910s, his career concluding with the turbulent production of '' Cleopatra,'' his last film, in 1963. He began at Para ...

. He envisaged it as "an Arabian nights story in a western setting". The film was loosely based on a short story inspired by the Arizona legend about a town, "Drinkmens Wells", which came to be known as " Salome, Where She Danced". The story was about a Mexican dance hall performer called "Salome", who danced to hold the attention of a group of outlaws and give the law-abiding members of the town enough time to assemble and arm in protection of their homes. The script expanded the story to incorporate characters such as Robert E. Lee and Bismarck.

Casting

Yvonne de Carlo had been under contract to Paramount Pictures and had been short listed for important roles in '' The Story of Dr Wassell'' and '' Rainbow Island'' without actually being given them. She was cast in September 1944. Wanger later said he discovered her by looking at a camera test of another actor in which de Carlo also appeared. Another source says 21 Royal Canadian Air Force bombardier students who loved her as a pinup star campaigned to get her the role. De Carlo later said this was done at her behest; she took several pictures of herself in a revealing costume and got two childhood friends from Vancouver, Reginald Reid and Kenneth Ross McKenzie, who had become pilots, to arrange their friends to lobby on her behalf. The crew at Universal was set to shoot a wardrobe test for Ava Gardner on a sound stage at Universal. Gardner did not show, and Art Director Alexander Golitzen ran to Producer Walter Wanger's office asking, "Walter, what the hell is happening?" Wanger replied, "MGM just called, They wouldn't let her go." Yvonne De Carlo was in waiting room with her agent and Golitzen said, "Why don't we test her." Golitzen grabber De Carlo and raced her to the wardrobe department and that was it. Golitzen would also receive an associate production credit for the film. 'Sic, passim''"An Oral History with Alexander Golitzen" by Barbara Hall, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Beverly Hills, California 1992. (Page 71-73)

Shooting

Filming took 64 days at a budget of almost $1.2 million.

Reception

On its release the film received amongst the worst critical reception of any of Wanger's films. Nonetheless, the film made a profit of $149,387 and launched Yvonne de Carlo as a star.

References

External links

''Salome, Where She Danced'' at IMDBReview of film
at ''Variety'' * {{DEFAULTSORT:Salome Where She Danced 1945 films 1940s historical romance films 1945 romantic drama films American romantic drama films Films directed by Charles Lamont Films set in 1865 Films set in 1866 Films set in Virginia Films set in Vienna Films set in Prussia Films set in San Francisco Universal Pictures films Films produced by Walter Wanger American historical romance films Films scored by Edward Ward (composer) 1940s English-language films 1940s American films